Tafseer of Sheba · Saba · 34:31
And those who disbelieve say, "We will never believe in this Qur'an nor in that before it." But if you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Lord, refuting each other's words... Those who were oppressed will say to those who were arrogant, "If not for you, we would have been believers."
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يَرْجِعُ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ الْقَوْلَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا لِلَّذِينَ اسْتَكْبَرُوا لَوْلا أَنْتُمْ لَكُنَّا مُؤْمِنِينَ (34:31) (And those who disbelieve say: We will never believe in this Qurʾān, nor in what preceded it. And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are brought to a halt before their Lord, while they cast reproaches at one another. Those who were oppressed say to those who were arrogant: Had it not been for you, we would have been believers.) (34:31)
The Exalted, whose remembrance is exalted, says: (وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا) (And those who disbelieve say), namely the polytheists (mushrikīn) among the Arabs: (لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ) (We will never believe in this Qurʾān) which Muḥammad ﷺ has brought to us, nor in the Book that another brought before him.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His word (لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ بِهَذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَلا بِالَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ), he said: The polytheists said: We will never believe in this Qurʾān, nor in what preceded it of the Books and the prophets.
And His word (وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذِ الظَّالِمُونَ مَوْقُوفُونَ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ) (And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are brought to a halt before their Lord): while they cast reproaches at one another and dispute with each other. The oppressed, who were in the worldly life, say to those who were arrogant over them in that life: Had it not been for you, O leaders and great ones in the worldly life, we would have believed in Allah and His signs.
